LJWorld.com comments: Comments by IllTeachYouhttp://www2.ljworld.com/users/IllTeachYou/LJWorld.com comments: Comments by IllTeachYouen-usFri, 08 Dec 2017 13:18:46 -0600IllTeachYou on "Property tax lid causing harm, Kansas cities and counties tell lawmakers"
http://www2.ljworld.com/comments/cr/303/626421/#c2640876<p>Cities have only 2 ways to raise money to pay for services - sales tax and property tax. Cities are asked to provide a variety of services that generate no income, like sewers, roads, police, firefighters, emergency medical, etc. Citizens can choose to pay for services, or not have services. People are getting elected on platforms of providing the same or more services. Which means that, as prices rise, so must the amount of tax money taken in. Or else, those services face cuts.</p>
<p>Retired citizens enjoy the benefits of roads, sewers, police, fire, medical, etc. Many of them live in neighborhoods where others want to live, and are willing to pay a premium for those houses. This drives housing prices up, and increases the tax liability on properties in the vicinity, unless the tax levys go down accordingly. </p>
<p>This is simple economics. </p>
<p><i>Posted by <a href="http://www2.ljworld.com/users/IllTeachYou/">IllTeachYou</a> on December 8 at 1:18 p.m. (<a href="http://www2.ljworld.com/comments/flag/2640876/">Suggest removal</a>)</i></p>
Fri, 08 Dec 2017 13:18:46 -0600http://www2.ljworld.com/comments/cr/303/626421/#c2640876IllTeachYou on "After LHS student raises concerns, tribal chief wants to rescind Shawnee Mission North's use of Indian mascot"
http://www2.ljworld.com/comments/cr/303/620103/#c2604624<p>The original story can be found here:</p>
<p><a href="https://lhsbudget.com/news/2017/02/22/tribes-chief-says-smn-should-consider-mascot-concerns/" rel="nofollow">https://lhsbudget.com/news/2017/02/22...</a></p>
<p>It is more than just one student, and it is more than just the mascot at issue. LJWorld is not giving you all of the information.</p>
<p><i>Posted by <a href="http://www2.ljworld.com/users/IllTeachYou/">IllTeachYou</a> on February 28 at 10:25 p.m. (<a href="http://www2.ljworld.com/comments/flag/2604624/">Suggest removal</a>)</i></p>
Tue, 28 Feb 2017 22:25:06 -0600http://www2.ljworld.com/comments/cr/303/620103/#c2604624IllTeachYou on "Kansas House votes to restore guaranteed teacher tenure"
http://www2.ljworld.com/comments/cr/303/619914/#c2603467<p>Our employers (the State Legislature) have spent the last several years trying to systematically dismantle public education. It does not matter how hard I work nor how effective I am at my job. They want my job to end. They want my place of work to disappear. I am a union member because the full weight of the State of Kansas can only be counteracted if teachers work and speak together. If I thought for one moment that I could make 6 figures at this job by not being a union member, I would do it. But without the union, I&#39;d still be making $29K per year because the people who make the salary decisions don&#39;t care if I&#39;m good at my job. They care about not collecting taxes and paying for services. So, yes, I do want due process at my job. And for what it is worth, Pete, I think you should have due process, too. No one deserves to be fired without cause. No one. Not even you.</p>
<p><i>Posted by <a href="http://www2.ljworld.com/users/IllTeachYou/">IllTeachYou</a> on February 22 at 8:45 p.m. (<a href="http://www2.ljworld.com/comments/flag/2603467/">Suggest removal</a>)</i></p>
Wed, 22 Feb 2017 20:45:16 -0600http://www2.ljworld.com/comments/cr/303/619914/#c2603467IllTeachYou on "Kansas House votes to restore guaranteed teacher tenure"
http://www2.ljworld.com/comments/cr/303/619914/#c2603427<p>Due process is not tenure. </p>
<p>Tenure: noun - status granted to an employee, usually after a probationary period, indicating that the position or employment is permanent. </p>
<p>Teachers have never had permanent jobs. What they used to have, and hope to have again, is a right to due process. This means teachers would have a right to get a hearing before the Superintendent and/or school board if a principal wants to terminate their employment. In this sort of a hearing, the principal would be asked to identify and explain the reasons for the termination, the teacher would have an opportunity to respond, and then the superintendent and/or school board would decide whether to follow through on the termination, or to allow the teacher to maintain employment. </p>
<p>It isn&#39;t a permanent job, it is just a guarantee that a teacher can ask an objective party to look at why they were fired from their job, and to listen to their side of the situation, in an effort to prevent arbitrary terminations.</p>
<p>I wish the Journal World would stop giving the public incorrect information.</p>
<p><i>Posted by <a href="http://www2.ljworld.com/users/IllTeachYou/">IllTeachYou</a> on February 22 at 2:31 p.m. (<a href="http://www2.ljworld.com/comments/flag/2603427/">Suggest removal</a>)</i></p>
Wed, 22 Feb 2017 14:31:25 -0600http://www2.ljworld.com/comments/cr/303/619914/#c2603427IllTeachYou on "School board abruptly adjourns meeting after audience disruption; police called"
http://www2.ljworld.com/comments/cr/303/618265/#c2592369<p>You have some incorrect information here. There is no teacher tenure in the contract. There is, however, a process in place for disciplining certified staff. This process was negotiated, and is part of the public record. The contract can be found here: </p>
<p><a href="http://www.usd497.org/cms/lib8/KS01906981/Centricity/Domain/2053/Master%20Agreement%20-%202016-17.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://www.usd497.org/cms/lib8/KS0190...</a></p>
<p>I think you will find that Article 24 (p. 32-35) is the relevant section. I offer this here not in support or condemnation of any particular stance, but only to add accurate information to the discussion. </p>
<p><i>Posted by <a href="http://www2.ljworld.com/users/IllTeachYou/">IllTeachYou</a> on December 13 at 10:18 a.m. (<a href="http://www2.ljworld.com/comments/flag/2592369/">Suggest removal</a>)</i></p>
Tue, 13 Dec 2016 10:18:45 -0600http://www2.ljworld.com/comments/cr/303/618265/#c2592369IllTeachYou on "Schools say test scores show funding in Kansas is inadequate"
http://www2.ljworld.com/comments/cr/303/615443/#c2574694<p>More funding means we can hire more teachers. This means each teacher has fewer students, and is thus able to give each individual more attention. This allows for a more personalized education, improving the remediation of a student&#39;s deficits and/or the expansion of a student&#39;s strong areas. And yes, teachers are withholding their best abilities to educate Kansas children, because those skills are very time intensive. Teachers can only grade so many essays, answer so many questions, etc. If you reduce the number of students per teacher, then that number of essays and questions is divided amongst fewer students, allowing each student more feedback and guided practice.</p>
<p>But even if teachers were paid more money, perhaps the state would lose fewer good teachers to other states and/or industries that pay better. This also benefits students by keeping successful teachers in Kansas classrooms.</p>
<p>The reality is, money makes a difference in education because it means more adults are working with kids.</p>
<p><i>Posted by <a href="http://www2.ljworld.com/users/IllTeachYou/">IllTeachYou</a> on August 15 at 4:09 p.m. (<a href="http://www2.ljworld.com/comments/flag/2574694/">Suggest removal</a>)</i></p>
Mon, 15 Aug 2016 16:09:03 -0500http://www2.ljworld.com/comments/cr/303/615443/#c2574694IllTeachYou on "No policies in place to address sex offenders in schools"
http://www2.ljworld.com/comments/cr/303/612595/#c2560086<p>Hat tip to the LHS Budget, and reporter Zia Kelly who first broke this story.</p>
<p><a href="http://lhsbudget.com/news/2016/04/22/schools-not-notified-of-students-with-sex-offenses/" rel="nofollow">http://lhsbudget.com/news/2016/04/22/...</a></p>
<p><i>Posted by <a href="http://www2.ljworld.com/users/IllTeachYou/">IllTeachYou</a> on May 8 at 12:56 p.m. (<a href="http://www2.ljworld.com/comments/flag/2560086/">Suggest removal</a>)</i></p>
Sun, 08 May 2016 12:56:29 -0500http://www2.ljworld.com/comments/cr/303/612595/#c2560086IllTeachYou on "Lawrence school board to vote on whether to purchase 5,000 iPads"
http://www2.ljworld.com/comments/cr/303/611160/#c2551177<p>These are being purchased out of capital outlay dollars. That is money that can only go to buy things - buildings, furniture, vehicles, technology, etc. It cannot, by law, be used to pay for salaries. Only general fund dollars can be used to pay for salary.</p>
<p>We don&#39;t wonder why there is no money. We know why; because the state refuses to meet its constitutional burden.</p>
<p><i>Posted by <a href="http://www2.ljworld.com/users/IllTeachYou/">IllTeachYou</a> on March 21 at 8:15 a.m. (<a href="http://www2.ljworld.com/comments/flag/2551177/">Suggest removal</a>)</i></p>
Mon, 21 Mar 2016 08:15:57 -0500http://www2.ljworld.com/comments/cr/303/611160/#c2551177IllTeachYou on "Lawrence school board to vote on whether to purchase 5,000 iPads"
http://www2.ljworld.com/comments/cr/303/611160/#c2551176<p>That would be an Apple decision, not a BOE decision, David. Call Apple, offer to buy 5,000 of them, and I bet they offer you the same price. </p>
<p><i>Posted by <a href="http://www2.ljworld.com/users/IllTeachYou/">IllTeachYou</a> on March 21 at 8:12 a.m. (<a href="http://www2.ljworld.com/comments/flag/2551176/">Suggest removal</a>)</i></p>
Mon, 21 Mar 2016 08:12:39 -0500http://www2.ljworld.com/comments/cr/303/611160/#c2551176IllTeachYou on "Lawrence's Orchards Golf Course opens new FootGolf facility; update on downtown's Old-Fashioned Christmas Parade"
http://www2.ljworld.com/comments/cr/1203/347113/#c2430769<p>Chad, the other two organizations who donated hogs to Just Food were the Food Policy Council and the Lone Star 4-H Club. This is a great way to support local kids and a great local charity, all at one event.</p>
<p><i>Posted by <a href="http://www2.ljworld.com/users/IllTeachYou/">IllTeachYou</a> on August 4 at 4:32 p.m. (<a href="http://www2.ljworld.com/comments/flag/2430769/">Suggest removal</a>)</i></p>
Mon, 04 Aug 2014 16:32:42 -0500http://www2.ljworld.com/comments/cr/1203/347113/#c2430769